Tomato Basil Bean Soup
If you love to garden, this Italian tomato basil soup recipe is designed for you. In the summer, use your fresh basil, spinach, onions, and tomatoes to create a flavor that can only be described as heavenly.
In the winter, use canned tomatoes and beans along with fresh ingredients and make this fabulous vegetarian soup on cold nights to keep warm.
Prep time: 10 min; Total time: 10 min
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 c. diced tomatoes with juice (or 1 can)
- 4 c. vegetable broth (or 2 cans)
- 1 c. kidney beans (or 1 can, rinsed and drained)
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- Large handful fresh basil
- Large handful fresh baby spinach (optional)
- 3 tbsp. parmesan, grated (optional)
- Pasta, cooked (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
If you are using dried beans, boil them in water for 5 minutes the night before. Discard the water and then soak your beans (in new water) overnight. Change the soak water once while beans are soaking and discard soak water before beginning to make your soup. Cook beans in a pressure cooker for about 10-12 minutes or boil them on the stove for 40 minutes before beginning to make your soup (you can get your beans started first and then begin working on the rest of the soup while they cook).
If you plan to serve your soup with pasta, begin cooking the pasta in a separate pot before beginning to make the rest of your soup.
Heat onion and olive oil over medium high heat. Add minced garlic and continue to saute until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, and beans. Cover and bring to a boil.
Once the soup is boiling (and pasta, if you are including it, is al dente), remove the lid and add basil, spinach, parmesan cheese, and pasta. Stir the greens in until they wilt. Taste and add salt or fresh ground pepper if necessary.
Tips
This soup is packed with superfoods: tomatoes, spinach, and beans. To add another
superfood, serve your soup with warm whole grain bread (or choose whole grain pasta).
My favorite types of pasta to use in this soup are small noodles, such as farfalle (bowties) or macaroni. Or, you can serve it with brown rice, barley, or orzo.
Try using other kinds of beans, such as cannelini, Great Northern, or lima beans.
Add whatever kinds of vegetables you have in your kitchen. Try adding additional herbs, too (parsley would taste great!).
Canned beans, canned tomatoes, and vegetable broth all contain high amounts of sodium. If you can, use dried beans and fresh tomatoes to cut minimize the sodium content of this soup.
Provide feedback on this recipe